Edward h



(No Model.) E. H. DROOP.

HAND DRUM.

No. 479,636. Patented July 26, 1892.

h ill w/ NE sgs M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD H. DROOP, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HAND-DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,636, dated July 26,1892.

Application filed May 3, 1892- Serial No. 431,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD II. DROOP, residing at \Vashington city, inthe District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement inHand-Drums, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in musical instruments, being in thenature of a handdrum; and the invention seeks to provide a drum-likeinstrument which may be carried in and sounded by one hand.

The invention consists in the peculiar constructions and combinations ofparts hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my instrument as inuse. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a somewhat different construction,and Fig. 5 is a detail view.

The drum is formed with a rim A and a head B, and is provided with ahammer O and an elastic support for such hammer, the hammer beingnormally out of contact with the head B, so that by moving the drum itmay be vibrated in contact with the drum-head. In the construction shownthe elastic support for the hammer is a spring D, fixed at one end andsupporting the hammer G at its opposite or swinging end. By preferencethe hammer support D is held by the inner end of the handle E, such endbeing formed with a slit F to receive the end of the spring-shank. Thisconstruction is preferred,because it permits of the setting of thehammer to one side, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, to avoid unduewear on any one part of the drumhead, as would result if the hammer wereunchangeable. In connecting the handle with the rim it is preferred toprovide the rim with a thickened portion a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3,and to form in said thickened portion a socket G to receive the innerend of the handle. By preference the socket G is tapered and the part ofthe handle which fits therein is correspondingly tapered, so that thehandle may be tightened by pressing it firmly in the socket. Such end ofthe handle being slitted to receive the hammer-support causes the saidtapered portion to operate as a clamp to properly hold the support D, aswill be understood from Figs. 1 and 2. lVhere desired, the hammer may befixed in its socket by glue or by means of a brad. The thickened portiona may be integral therewith, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or it may be aseparate piece fitted in the rim, as shown in Fig. 3. Now while it ispreferred to support the hammer and to secure the hammer-support in themanner before described, it should be understood thatI do not desire tobe limited in the broad features of my invention to such specificconstruction. In connection with the vibrating hammer I provide a snare[-I, which is movable or adjustable into contact with the head of thedrum. It may be preferred to arrange said snare, as well as thevibrating hammer, within the rim A; but in the construction shown inFig. 4, wherein the drum has heads at both ends of its rim, the snaremay be arranged outside the rim and held bybutton-pins I, fitting insockets in the rim, as shown. This snare may be of suitable cord; but itis preferred to form the snare of wire or similar material and toarrange it as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In such construction the snare IIhas at one end a crank-like portion h, which is journaled to the rim, sothat the snare maybe swung into contact with or clear of the head, asdesired. This, it will be seen, is a simple, inexpensive, andconveniently-operated snare. In journaling the crank-like portion of thesnare it may be preferred to provide it with a short shaft-like part h,journaled in the rim, a special socket 71 being provided to receive saidshaft 72,, or where desired such shaft might be 3' ournaled in thesocket G alongside of the tapered portion 6 of the handle E.

In addition to use as a hand-drum for m-usical purposes the device willbe found quite useful in campaigns and the like, where it may be desiredto provide means for making loud noises to add to the excitement of theoccasion.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the hammer is supported nearer onehead than the other, so that a slight movement of the drum may cause thehammer to strike one head, while a greater movement may cause it tostrike both heads alternately, so that the drum may be caused to operateas a single or double headed drum, as the user may desire; butmanifestly the hammer may be arranged centrally between the heads, ifdesired.

If desired to use more than one hammer, the construction shown in Fig. 5may be employed. In this construction the hammer-support is a branchedplate having hammers on its several branches.

It may in some instances be desired to arrange several hammers to strikethe drum successively. This may be accomplished by arranging severalhammers, as shown in Fig. 2, at different distances from the drum-head.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. A hand-drum having a rim, a head, and a projecting handle andprovided with a hammer arranged within its rim and free to vibrate incontact with the head of the drum as the latter is vibrated,substantiallyas set forth.

2. A hand-drum comprising a thin tambourine-like drum provided withinits rim with a hammer free to vibrate in contact with the head of thedrum as the latter is vibrated, substantially as set forth.

3. A hand-drum having a rim, a head, and a handle by which it may bevibrated, ahammer free to vibrate in contact with the head of the drumas thelat-ter is vibrated, and asnare which may be setinto and out ofcontact with the head, substantially as set forth.

4. A hand-drum provided with a hammer free to vibrate in contact withits head and having a snare which may be adjusted into and out ofcontact with its head, substantially as set forth.

5. A hand-drum having a handle by which it may be vibrated, a hammerfree to vibrate in contact with its head, and a snare adj ustablyconnected with its rim, whereby it may be set into and out of contactwith its head, substantially as set forth.

6. A hand-drum having a hammer and a snare provided at one end with acrank-like portion journaled to the drum, whereby it may be adjustedinto and out of contact with the head, substantially as set forth.

7. A drum having a snare connected adjustably with it and adapted to beadjusted into and out of contact with the head of the drum withoutdetaching or disconnecting said snare from the drum, substantially asset forth.

8. The combination, with the drum, of the snare having a crank-likeportion provided with a shaft journaled in the rim of the drum,substantially as set forth.

9. A hand-drum having a vibrating hammer provided with a spring-supportadjustable, whereby the hammer maybe set to strike in different places,substantially as set forth.

10. In ahand-drum,the combination of the rim and head, the handlesecured to said rim, and the hammer arranged within the rim and having aspring-support held by said handle, substantially as set forth.

11. In a hand-drum, the combination of the rim having-a tapered socket,the handle having a tapered portion fitted in said socket and providedin its end with a slit, and the hammer having its support held in saidslit, substantially as set forth.

12. A hand-drum having ahandle provided in its end with a slit and ahammer arranged to vibrate in contaetwith the drum-head and having itssupport held in the end slit of the handle, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD H. DROOP.

\Vitnesses:

P. B. TURPIN,

GEO. S. BROOK.

